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A commitment may be made without conditions. It can be made without being "subject to" to any reason or factor that would otherwise serve to condone or allow for any lapse in its application. As such, it is then intended to be good for "for the duration" of the commitment...

Hello Francis, we met during the last Aikido cruise (2006) and I was fortunate to have had you as a training partner a few times during the various sessions. I want to thank you for sharing then as well as sharing your insights contained in this article. I find it a shame that most of this thread has evolved into a discussion of the definition of Aiki since I think the gist of your article was on commitment and not aiki - maybe you should have just called it "The Importance of Commitment to the Principles of your Training"

I think the work that is going on with revisiting and looking at old documentation with a new insight based on updated translations is a good thing and I am sure it will eventually help re-write the definitions of some of the concepts and principles that many of us have committed to so many years ago. I am one of those folks on the new Aiki bandwagon, but when I read your article I knew you were referring to the Aiki principles that you had spent many years adhering to and I did not find it necessary to challenge you with the new definitions - I consider you a perfect gentleman, an eloquent writer, and I commend you for many years of selfless sharing of your Aikido over the years - you deserve the respect and admiration of all those that have come after you on this path.

I haven't posted much recently but I do check in on AikiWeb usually a few times a week. I always enjoy Francis' columns and gain much inspiration from them. This one brings up a question I have had about my own commitment to Aikido in particular and Aiki in general. I managed to sidestep the issue of knee strain (not directly from Aikido, I was not training at the time) by starting a class for "fellow injured people" including one young man in his twenties who simply wanted to train at a slower pace than my colleague's dojo... But then we lost the space at the loft .... It was a good group and good training while it lasted. To me commitment means weighing the commitments we have in daily life and being open to opportunities to train. Sometimes I have thought there is an opportunity to train again, but then a transportation issue comes up. Each time I have to ask myself about my commitments and the ramifications...

For now, while keeping at keeping physically active, I enjoy reading about the training and thoughts of others. Thank you all.

This morning, I read the most recent posts first and have to comment on Mary's post which is indeed inspiring and helpful to me in looking back. When I was teaching, I may have pointed out self defense applications in the regular techniques but I didn't teach self defense per se. My friend Trish, in the New Haven area taught self defense for quite some time. While I admired and still admire her for many reasons, I found that at the YMCA here just teaching the regular aikido kept me busy, and I didn't do the extra research and training that would be necessary to teach self defense. It would have been nice to be able to visit her and participate and thereby learn, but other commitments had already taken over.

The point to this rambling story is that commitment can take many forms! Sometimes following a path, it makes unexpected turns for us, but I like to think it is still a valid path, and somehow connected to Aikido and Aiki still....

I will enjoy re reading Francis' article on commitment and reading all the comments. Thank you all.

Thank you, Takahashi Sensei! That was a beautiful exposition on the commitment we make to both ourselves and to Aiki...and to anything in general. I believe that at the end of the day, regardless of the art we choose, we're engaging in an individualized study...it just happens to be along side other folks. I recently read an article which described doshu's view as being something along the lines of, "we're all doing Aikido, even though we're not all doing the same thing." The article went on to suggest that as long as we're open in our practice (interacting with each other), it doesn't matter if we're in different places with our training...and arguing over differences is rather pointless.
As a consequence, while I agree with the idea that aiki can refer to something very discrete ("internals"), it doesn't necessarily always mean that. Like you said, it's a word, and I think that means there will always be variance in comprehension and application. I think that while people who want to follow in the footsteps of kaiso ought consider internal training as a central pillar to understanding physical potency, I don't think it is necessary in order to call what they do "Aikido."
Which brings me to this idea:

Quote:

..."more than the sum of its parts" assumes that the parts are all in place.

I think I disagree. Are there any students who ever have "every" part? Particularly if we consider the spirituality of O Sensei? We don't all have to have IP in order to enjoy the rest of Aikido. I think that was the point...though I could be wrong, of course. It happened once before...although in retrospect I may have been mistaken.

I think I disagree. Are there any students who ever have "every" part? Particularly if we consider the spirituality of O Sensei? We don't all have to have IP in order to enjoy the rest of Aikido. I think that was the point...though I could be wrong, of course. It happened once before...although in retrospect I may have been mistaken.

Maybe "all" is too much, but I think that are a number of parts that just can't be missing in order for it to be Aikido. That doesn't mean it's bad - just something else.

Hello Graham,
Like this story! Not many people seem to be aware of the relation between Aikido and Shugendo. And there is not much written about it either, as far as I know.
Is that article that you are quoting still available or to be found on the internet?
Greetings from the Auvergne!
Tom

Bonjour Graham,
Thank you for the link - it worked just fine! And the article is even better then what you already quoted.
This is a person who got at least a glimpse of Aikido as a spiritual path. The rest is mere technique.
A nice gift, thank you!
Gassho,
Tom

Nonetheless, any and all who would declare themselves to be genuine "students" of the Aikido of the Founder, should examine carefully, after doing their honest "due diligence", and after carefully examining their fundamental reasons for choosing to create their own Aikido, and fully know why they have decided to align their growth and development with the Founder's theories, techniques and unique philosophy. Without this conscious and honest self affirmation, such a powerful commitment may be doomed before it is is begun.

Francis Takahashi

Francis
I like your article though I am confused some with the sense I feel that lingered after I read it, something I just could not put my finger on.

The paragraph above sends me a mixed message as it is not clear to me after 38 years of involvement who actually has a true grasp of what the Founder Aikido really was or is.......this aside from all the comments i am sure will follow this. You know me enough and have seen me around enough to know I have trained with any number of individuals, you included, and none of these individual presented a constance continuing reflection of the same approach or understanding of what is called Aikido..........and none talked, showed or demonstrated the how of the "Aiki" part........ at least as I understand it now, that being the IP/IS/Intent/six direction/one body sort of thing.......can't do it to my satisfaction yet....... but it took me more than 30 years of my journey to get close.

So I am not sure if you are saying that we must follow and be committed to ( I guess the Aikikai approach) on a daily basis or we are just doing our own thing and maybe as just part time practice?

Thank you Francis Sensei for a very thoughtful and instructive post. I'm learning a lot from you and that is why I will put my sand grain in this beautiful column, which I commented already in AAUSA.
It's been a long time since I commented here.
Just wanted to say that there are some members commenting in this column who didn't seem to have understand what you wanted to tell us. I think that Aiki is a commitment through love. As you say training does not require such a commitment, most budokas don't train with it. But if one chooses to being committed to aiki, it does not include only the training it also includes to live all the time according to it and to spread it to everyone who likes to know it.
If you choose to be commited to aikido and aiki principles it will give you more than you think. Just be aware of your way and the details you get every day.
Wish you all a great weekend
Carina

Thank you Francis Sensei for a very thoughtful and instructive post. I'm learning a lot from you and that is why I will put my sand grain in this beautiful column, which I commented already in AAUSA.
It's been a long time since I commented here.
Just wanted to say that there are some members commenting in this column who didn't seem to have understand what you wanted to tell us. I think that Aiki is a commitment through love. As you say training does not require such a commitment, most budokas don't train with it. But if one chooses to being committed to aiki, it does not include only the training it also includes to live all the time according to it and to spread it to everyone who likes to know it.
If you choose to be commited to aikido and aiki principles it will give you more than you think. Just be aware of your way and the details you get every day.
Wish you all a great weekend
Carina

I'm sure Takahashi sensei is a wonderful person. I have no doubts about that at all. If his article has stayed true to Modern Aikido, I would have found it very appropriate.

However, he wrote this, "Nonetheless, any and all who would declare themselves to be genuine "students" of the Aikido of the Founder, should examine carefully, after doing their honest "due diligence", and after carefully examining their fundamental reasons for choosing to create their own Aikido, and fully know why they have decided to align their growth and development with the Founder's theories, techniques and unique philosophy. Without this conscious and honest self affirmation, such a powerful commitment may be doomed before it is is begun."

So, in doing due diligence, there is a world of difference between the aikido of Morhei Ueshiba and the aikido of Modern Aikido (Kisshomaru). So, yes, I'm asking hard questions because the founder of aikido was put forth in the article. I absolutely agree with Takahashi sensei in that due diligence in regards to the founder of aikido *must* be done. Sadly, though, I am finding that the due diligence is lacking ... but I continue to hope for the best.

It is great to see you participating on Aiki Web, and continuing your personal quest for excellence in Aiki. It has been years since we trained at Frank McGouirk Sensei’s dojo. As far as I can see, you are achieving your goal of pursuing the Aikido ideal in your own fashion, as well as most of the others I know. This is the message I have been attempting to convey, one I believe in fully, and consistent with the Founder’s oft stated wish and admonition to all his direct students.

I have never advocated, nor ever championed any logic behind placing Aikikai’s version of Aikido training, historical legitimacy, and pre-eminent identity with the Founder’s mission and purpose as being necessary or even realistic. Their’s is but one of many legitimate and critically vital attempts for the entire Aikido membership to continuously research, develop, enhance and make more clear and accessible, the Founder’s Aiki, and his Aikido to the current generation, and to future ones as well.

Yes, I have continually been identified with Aikikai Foundation, due to my special relationships with the Ueshibas, Osawa Sensei, Fujita Sensei, and other direct students of O Sensei. I have never advocated that the aikido sponsored and taught by Hombu Dojo, both Doshus, and the full spate of uchideshi instructors over time, is, or has ever been intended to be the blueprint or even the best template for all others to follow. I have repeatedly echoed the Founder’s admonition that we should all develop our own aikido, from whatever resource we choose, and I will never cease doing so.

When I speak of aligning one’s training with “the teachings, techniques and unique philosophy” of the Founder, I meant it as a starting point, for isn’t this where any legitimate study of his creation would begin. From there, I recognize no restrictions on anyone to seek out and incorporate teachings, techniques and unique philosophies of other masters of their own choosing, to either augment, to replace in part, or even to reconstruct the entirety of their programming. This said, there should also not be any demeaning or disrespectful rhetoric and slander against those who choose to stay true to the Aikikai Hombu agenda, or to base their foundational authenticity on such a provenance and association. We must find ways to emphasize those aspects we all have in common, and not dwell on those negatives, primarily false, that strive to keep us at odds, and quibbling over dubious definitions and useless delusions of entitlement.

I do believe, as do other significant leaders, that true leadership and paradigm shifting efforts will come from the West. Being an American, I am biased towards the immense talent pool and proven capabilities we have home grown over the decades.

It is great to see you participating on Aiki Web, and continuing your personal quest for excellence in Aiki. It has been years since we trained at Frank McGouirk Sensei's dojo. As far as I can see, you are achieving your goal of pursuing the Aikido ideal in your own fashion, as well as most of the others I know. This is the message I have been attempting to convey, one I believe in fully, and consistent with the Founder's oft stated wish and admonition to all his direct students.

I have never advocated, nor ever championed any logic behind placing Aikikai's version of Aikido training, historical legitimacy, and pre-eminent identity with the Founder's mission and purpose as being necessary or even realistic. Their's is but one of many legitimate and critically vital attempts for the entire Aikido membership to continuously research, develop, enhance and make more clear and accessible, the Founder's Aiki, and his Aikido to the current generation, and to future ones as well.

Yes, I have continually been identified with Aikikai Foundation, due to my special relationships with the Ueshibas, Osawa Sensei, Fujita Sensei, and other direct students of O Sensei. I have never advocated that the aikido sponsored and taught by Hombu Dojo, both Doshus, and the full spate of uchideshi instructors over time, is, or has ever been intended to be the blueprint or even the best template for all others to follow. I have repeatedly echoed the Founder's admonition that we should all develop our own aikido, from whatever resource we choose, and I will never cease doing so.

When I speak of aligning one's training with "the teachings, techniques and unique philosophy" of the Founder, I meant it as a starting point, for isn't this where any legitimate study of his creation would begin. From there, I recognize no restrictions on anyone to seek out and incorporate teachings, techniques and unique philosophies of other masters of their own choosing, to either augment, to replace in part, or even to reconstruct the entirety of their programming. This said, there should also not be any demeaning or disrespectful rhetoric and slander against those who choose to stay true to the Aikikai Hombu agenda, or to base their foundational authenticity on such a provenance and association. We must find ways to emphasize those aspects we all have in common, and not dwell on those negatives, primarily false, that strive to keep us at odds, and quibbling over dubious definitions and useless delusions of entitlement.

I do believe, as do other significant leaders, that true leadership and paradigm shifting efforts will come from the West. Being an American, I am biased towards the immense talent pool and proven capabilities we have home grown over the decades.

Be well.

Francis
Thanks for responding. This has cleared up some of the gray that I perceived in your column.

As for the demeaning or disrespectful rhetoric and slander here on this site....it is a two way street. You and I both started Aikido long before it was thought of by many as paired cooperative moving mediation, as spiritual only, as love that can free the world.......

I don't have any problems with anyone who wants to work this way and for those goals. I am happy for them......I just find those aspects of my life from other sources than Aikido. I understand that some on this site who are pushing IP/IS and a clearly differing definition of Aiki seem hard and pushing.....sometimes downright obnoxious in pressing their claims...but they have something.

The Aiki arts are multi leveled and each step up is harder to achieve that the one that was just accomplished. It is like floors in building, but you can't take the elevator......the stairs are the only way up. I am good with folks who want to stay on the first floor....no problem with that at all. The difficulty is when those folks say there are no other floors...that this is it....when all they have to do is go outside and look up.......or go a check out some of the folks talking Aiki to see what is happening. Maybe they discover something maybe they don't. That works to.....but don't keep telling me that this is all there is and that they have it.

Maybe the issue is with the Do part...... maybe Aikido is only the first floor....that's cool

The truth is a hard pill to swallow. So, sometimes, people like to cast aspersions upon those telling the truth to make life more complacent and "reasonable".

So, if I were to say that the way that Ben Roethlisberger plays is world's apart from the way Tom Brady plays, no one ever seems to think that I was demeaning or having disrespectful rhetoric. So, too, Ueshiba's aikido is world's apart from Modern Aikido.

Anyone can go on and on and on about Modern Aikido, love, peace, tranquility, enlightenment, techniques, speed, size, etc all they want. It's such an open field that the world has redefined it several times over. People are happy with it. There's room for everyone, whether they want more technical, martial techniques or more spiritual cooperative training. The man who made that possible? Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Personally, I think his picture should be on many dojo shomen. He started something from nothing (less than nothing) and built a legacy for the world to enjoy. In some ways, he did more than his father.

But, Morihei Ueshiba has a specific and defined approach to aikido. If anyone wants to try to say that their Modern Aikido is true to the Founder's aikido ... then, I completely and wholeheartedly agree that there should be due diligence to confirm this. So far ... that hasn't happened. In fact, I found it utterly and amazingly preposterous that I was to disregard direct students interviews of Morihei Ueshiba as legends, myths, stories while being told that a complete fantasy version of Ueshiba coming back to life and "speaking" should be taken to heart as good and solid information. This is "due diligence"? Really? People actually think this is worthy of reverence?

The truth is a hard pill to swallow. It is far easier to close the ears, imagine a different world, and eat more rice. The offering is the red pill or the blue pill. Which one do you choose?

(The red pill and its opposite, the blue pill, are pop culture symbols representing the choice between the blissful ignorance of illusion (blue) and embracing the sometimes painful truth of reality (red).)

But, Morihei Ueshiba has a specific and defined approach to aikido.????

I'm probably going to get in trouble for my opinions here but ...

IMO, you can't hold a candle to Takahashi sensei. It is Takahashi sensei's experiences, commitment to Aikido, and many years of training that I *can* ask him the hard questions. We may never agree, we may never see eye to eye, but it is because of his dedication to Aikido that I have posted in his thread. Who better to field the tough questions? Who better to do due diligence? It is people such as him who are charting the future of Modern Aikido. If they can't answer, who can? IMO, you do not have the experience nor have you done the most basic of due diligence to begin to understand the concepts involved here. I would suggest doing so.

IMO, you can't hold a candle to Takahashi sensei. It is Takahashi sensei's experiences, commitment to Aikido, and many years of training that I *can* ask him the hard questions. We may never agree, we may never see eye to eye, but it is because of his dedication to Aikido that I have posted in his thread. Who better to field the tough questions? Who better to do due diligence? It is people such as him who are charting the future of Modern Aikido. If they can't answer, who can? IMO, you do not have the experience nor have you done the most basic of due diligence to begin to understand the concepts involved here. I would suggest doing so.

Sounds much like politics to me so I'll leave it to you political folk with your political arguments.

Peace. G.

Graham
You can't avoid politics here, as that is what we are talking about. The Question has always been for the pushy Aiki folks can anyone in Aikido today do what Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, could do and the answer is clearly no. Some of his original direct in house pre-war students had pieces of what he did, clearly sitting them a step up above the rest, but none of them are alive today to help.....some of their work is available thought hard to get at. Post war Aikido is Modern Aikido.

You clearly feel that you have a clear insight into the Founder's post-war approach to Aikido....though all evidence points to Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Koichi Tohei as being the principal starting points for that post war path. If your idea of Spiritual Aikido is the True Aikido and that you are clearly the avatar for it....then you need to get out there and sell it....you have to take on all the challenges....make it work for everyone....That means doing workshops or getting on the mat with the folks you have so far avoided.

Talking your approach up here, stepping back to say that you have done pretty much all of it, have seen all of it, have help an untold number of people improve their lives, clearly "teaching" here with your replies........then ending with vague comments about the rest of us can do what we want is just talk...just talk....

Graham
You can't avoid politics here, as that is what we are talking about. The Question has always been for the pushy Aiki folks can anyone in Aikido today do what Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, could do and the answer is clearly no. Some of his original direct in house pre-war students had pieces of what he did, clearly sitting them a step up above the rest, but none of them are alive today to help.....some of their work is available thought hard to get at. Post war Aikido is Modern Aikido.

You clearly feel that you have a clear insight into the Founder's post-war approach to Aikido....though all evidence points to Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Koichi Tohei as being the principal starting points for that post war path. If your idea of Spiritual Aikido is the True Aikido and that you are clearly the avatar for it....then you need to get out there and sell it....you have to take on all the challenges....make it work for everyone....That means doing workshops or getting on the mat with the folks you have so far avoided.

Talking your approach up here, stepping back to say that you have done pretty much all of it, have seen all of it, have help an untold number of people improve their lives, clearly "teaching" here with your replies........then ending with vague comments about the rest of us can do what we want is just talk...just talk....

Gary

Gary,
I can't say what you say above is wrong so all I can do is clarify for you my view.

Politics: Of course people around can do what Ueshiba did. No one can be him and no one should want to. No one can do everything he could do nor should they want to either. There may be some who can do some particular things better than he could. All this comparing to him is once again a clever political trick as far as I am concerned.

The post war path? Ueshiba wanted to spread it, he said so. He even described his visit to Hawaii as building a silver bridge. He always said his aims and they were worldwide aims. Now his son was into the organizational way of doing such and Tohei was into translating and developing sets of principles he felt would be easier to communicate to western culture. Thus they all did things their way but it was Ueshibas dream that they joined with.

Debating the in house original students and teachers as a step above the rest and most no longer being with us and seeing that as some kind of major loss or fault is again a put down and irrelevance to me. They taught people didn't they? There are many people around following the principles of Aikido, it's all good. Plus it's natural. There was Jesus and there were his disciples. Then there were no more disciples. Yet it spread. Naturally. This happens to all things so what's all the fear talk about? That always happens too, 'oh for the old days!' ha ha.

Your view on me is fair enough. I like it. Your conclusion though I don't quite see.

You seem to be saying I should insist everyone do it my way and that I am responsible for everyone.

'Vague comments about the rest of us???' Mmmmm. don't get it.

I agree it may be that I should do more in the public arena. May be. It seems that way to you anyway.

About seven years ago in my mind I had stopped teaching actually. It was an interesting year. Wherever I went I still attracted those seeking something which Aikido could provide. Then one day a couple of guys, one from Yoshinkan and another from some form of tai chi came to visit me. It was a strange experience. They were insisting I teach them, I thought they were going to chain themselves to the chars and not move unless I agreed. So I got back into it to cut a long story short.

So I teach because it's part of my path that's all. I have no other significance on it than that. It doesn't equal I should 'sell it' or build some empire or create some organization or travel on some circuit. No it doesn't equal that to me.

Lately however, in life most folks are saying similar things though, that I should set this up and that up. This is indeed an interesting next phase of my life for I am undecided.

There is no should there is only me deciding on my way of doing.

I will listen and acknowledge what others who know me tell me and thus take all into account but then I will consult my 'heart.' That's my way.

Meanwhile this forum is as it's always been for me, a window into what some folks are doing and their views and where I share my views. That;s all. Not some shop window.